Rain, snow, sleet, moose or anthrax

Most people have heard of the U.S. Postal Service proposal to cancel Saturday postal deliveries in order to save money. The proposal has created a storm of protest nationwide. Not in the North Fork, where we only have Tuesday and Friday postal service — and it’s always been that way.

The North Fork’s first Post Office was the Kintla Post Office, established in 1910 and operated by Mary Schoenberger with more than 80 patrons. It was located in Big Prairie inside Glacier National Park. Shortly after, the Kintla Post Office was moved to the John Walsh home, also in Big Prairie, and Harriet Walsh was postmistress until 1920.

From 1920 until 1929 the post office was located in the Hensen store and was renamed the Polebridge Post Office. This store was located near the bridge. When Hensen’s store closed in 1929, the post office was moved to the Andrew Vance place, and Ben Hensen Jr. was postmaster until 1935.

In 1935, the post office was moved to the Adair store, now known as the Polebridge Mercantile, and Bill Adair became postmaster. He served until 1944, when the store was sold to Ben Rover. His wife Annette became postmistress, and she served until 1955, when the store was sold to Ted Ross.

With each change in ownership, the postmaster’s duties were transferred to the new owner until 2001 when Dan Kauffman resigned over concerns about anthrax being sent through the mail. At that time, the Polebridge Post Office ceased to exist.

In addition to the Polebridge Post Office there was also a post office at Trail Creek. First postmaster was Mr. Price, and the post office was located in his Trail Creek home. He was followed by June Ryan, whose husband Earl was the mail carrier. The post office was in their home, just south of the Price homestead on Trail Creek.

Madge (Cooper) Terrian was the third and last Trail Creek postmistress. When she became postmistress, the Trail Creek Post Office was moved to her home, the original Frank Clute homestead, which is now known as Moose City. When Madge died, the Trail Creek Post Office ceased to exist.

Today, of course, there is no post office on the North Fork, although “Polebridge MT 59928” is still our legal address. Mail is now routed through Columbia Falls and delivered on Tuesdays and Fridays, weather permitting.

Today’s 4-by-4 vehicles and county plowing mean we seldom miss a mail day, which is much better than the early days when the mail was delivered in the winter by a bulldozer pulling a sled.

Then, mail might only arrive once or twice a month and was sometimes delayed further by a moose that refused to get out of the way.

Somehow, I don’t think North Forkers would care much if the Postal Service halted Saturday service. Maybe then they could pay our contracted mail carrier a living wage. What do you think?